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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24711298">Blossoms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzbuzz34/pseuds/buzzbuzz34'>buzzbuzz34</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Stab Wound</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:47:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24711298</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzbuzz34/pseuds/buzzbuzz34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hamid is injured in a fight and Zolf can only barely manage to patch him up.  They're both terrified at the thought of losing the other, and their romantic feelings come spilling out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan/Zolf Smith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Blossoms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hamid… you’re bleeding.”</p>
<p>They were out of immediate danger, the furor of combat behind them, so Zolf and Hamid finally had the chance to take stock of their surroundings and their injuries.  Zolf had scrapes here and there, and a decent bruise would show up on his arm in the coming days, but nothing that would hinder him.  With Hamid, however, a red blossom appeared in his chest, soaking through his fine shirt. </p>
<p>“What, I’m fine, I’m…”  He looked down.  His body had blocked out the pain, but his eyes couldn’t deny the blood pouring forth from him.  “Oh dear.”</p>
<p>In that instant, he collapsed, and Zolf barely caught him in time to save him from crashing into the ground.  He placed himself beneath Hamid and laid his body gently across him, cradling his head. </p>
<p>“It’s alright, I’ve got you.”</p>
<p>Hamid smiled through the agony that now coursed through his veins.  Meanwhile, Zolf shut his eyes; he couldn’t see Hamid like this, he couldn’t bear to see the strength in Hamid’s features even as his body shuddered in Zolf’s arms. </p>
<p>Zolf cleared his head and took several deep breaths.  He had hope that Hamid would make it.  He <em>had </em>to make it.  If Hamid was gone… well, then there really was no hope left.</p>
<p>Hamid let out a heavy gasp, and his breaths came easier after that.  He felt at his chest and opened the top few buttons of his shirt to see that the stab wound had decreased in size with only a trickle of blood emerging from it now as Zolf's hopeful magic manifested.</p>
<p>“Oh, thank goodness,” Zolf whispered to himself. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” Hamid said as he sat up.  Zolf was loath to let him out of his grasp but allowed him to turn and face him.  “That was… bad.”</p>
<p>Zolf chuckled despite his fear.  “That’s certainly one way to put it.  But, listen, it’s not all the way healed up yet, and I don’t think I have enough magic in me right now to do that.  I have bandages though, so let’s get that wound dressed properly.  Don’t want it to get infected before I can heal it all the way.”</p>
<p>“It’s alright, it can’t be that bad,” Hamid protested, his fingers straying to gently feel the edges of his wound.</p>
<p>“Hamid, please.”</p>
<p>Hamid smiled slightly and then nodded.  He sat still to allow Zolf to unbutton a bit more of his shirt and tug it down over his shoulders, then treat the wound with some ointment.  The cut pierced through his chest and, if it weren’t for magic, would surely have severed something vital.  The remaining bleeding and tear in his skin were simply cosmetic damage in comparison. </p>
<p>“Thank you for patching me up,” Hamid said softly as Zolf did his work. </p>
<p>“You have to be more careful,” Zolf replied, hoping that the shaking in his throat didn’t warp his words.  “Please.”</p>
<p>“It’s not like I tried to get stabbed!”  Hamid rebuked.  “It was battle, things happen, don’t-”</p>
<p>“I know, okay, I know.  Things do happen.  But I couldn’t bear it if they happened to you.”</p>
<p>“Zolf…”</p>
<p>Zolf’s hands began to quiver so substantially that he could no longer maneuver the bandages, and instead fell back onto his knees and clenched his fists.  His eyes scrunched tight as pain at the mere thought of losing Hamid filled him with dread and despair. </p>
<p>But a moment later, a soft hand was placed atop his fist, and Zolf opened his eyes to see Hamid staring at him, both worry and compassion glimmering in his eyes.  Hamid’s thumb ran gently across Zolf’s fingers. </p>
<p>“You don’t have to worry.  I’m alright.  You saw to that,” Hamid replied, not letting go of Zolf’s hand.</p>
<p>“Barely!  What if we’d taken longer to get away, what if they’d landed another hit on you, what if I wasn’t able to save you?  What if I wasn’t here, what if one day you get into a scrape and neither myself nor Azu are there?  There was so much blood and… and…”</p>
<p>“But you <em>were</em> here.  And I don’t want to go anywhere without you.”</p>
<p>His lip still quivering, Zolf relaxed slightly and opened his fist to take Hamid’s hand within his own. </p>
<p>“I know this is the life we lead,” Zolf said.  “I know we face danger every day.  I know you’ve come back from worse.  But that doesn’t make seeing you in pain any easier.  And you always charge into the thick of it like you forget you’re some tiny spellcaster and not an actual dragon, and…” Zolf’s voice began to raise in volume, but he recognized it and took a few breaths to calm himself down.  He promised not to be so hard on Hamid, and Hamid had similarly sworn to try and think twice before potential naivety guided his actions. </p>
<p>As if he remembered that promise at the same time Zolf did, Hamid sighed. </p>
<p>“You’re right.  I’m not always the most careful.  But it’s not as if it’s any easier for me to see you wade into enemies all by yourself, to see you get hurt.”</p>
<p>“I’m a beefy boy, though,” Zolf joked, and Hamid laughed.  “I can handle it.”</p>
<p>“How about neither of us take that risk?”</p>
<p>They collapsed into each other, holding tight in that embrace. </p>
<p>“I think that sounds more than fair.  Now, let me finish bandaging that up.”</p>
<p>Hamid allowed Zolf to do so, and soon he was given the go ahead to don his shirt and escape momentarily from Zolf’s medical purview. </p>
<p>“I’m really glad you were here,” Hamid mumbled as he buttoned his shirt.  “And not just because you healed me, you know.  I meant what I said, that I don’t want to go anywhere without you.”</p>
<p>Zolf glanced up at him as he put away the remaining medical supplies and began to set up their tent for the evening.  They were both exhausted and in no state to keep trekking. </p>
<p>“If this is about me leaving again, then-”</p>
<p>“No, no, not that.  I understand why you left, you’ve apologized, it’s fine.  We’re back together now.  What I <em>mean </em>is that… I don’t want you to leave again.  <em>I </em>don’t want to leave you.  I don’t want to be in a future where you aren’t beside me.  Even if that future is cured and rebuilt and perfect in every other way, it wouldn’t be perfect to me.  Because you wouldn’t be there, and what’s the point in that case?”</p>
<p>“Hamid, I’m… I’m not going anywhere.  And as long as you’ll have me at your side, I’ll be there.  Without you, there is no hope, not for me, so where else would I be?  Besides, somebody has to be there to patch you up.”</p>
<p>“Ha ha,” Hamid replied mockingly, though the smile on his face was sincere as he flipped around to where Zolf sat, facing him again.  He hesitated for a moment, then, barely audible, breathed, “I think I love you, Zolf.”</p>
<p>Immediately, Zolf pulled Hamid in for a kiss, fingers lacing through his hair.  It was hasty and breathless, and more forceful than Zolf intended, but neither of them pulled away as their lips met and said more than their bickering ever could. </p>
<p>When they came up for air, though still millimeters apart, Zolf whispered, “I think I love you too.  That’s why I’m so scared of losing you.”</p>
<p>“I understand.  And if I made a promise that I’d be alright, I know you’d just tell me off for making a promise I can’t necessarily keep.”</p>
<p>“You’re right about that,” Zolf teased and they both chuckled, pressing their foreheads together. </p>
<p>“I can’t speak for the future, but for right now…”  Hamid’s lips brushed against Zolf’s as he spoke.  “Right now, just don’t let me go.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t dream of it.”</p>
<p>Zolf pulled Hamid practically into his lap as they kissed again, collapsing together in a pile of limbs, their kisses interspersed with smiles and laughter.  And for as long as they held onto each other, they were safe, immune from whatever terrors the world might throw at them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!  Yes, I can and I will write these two nerds realizing that they're in love a thousand times and no one can stop me lol</p>
<p>If you want to find more of my writing, head on over to kellanswritingblog.tumblr.com.  Recently I've posted a lot of short, tma fics that are only on tumblr.  </p>
<p>Or feel free to check out my personal blog, celsidebottom.tumblr.com &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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